Small Encounters
by redfeathersky
Summary: AU. Waking up in the middle of the night from shadows and Nightmares Akane goes out to the dojo to work off some steam. She meets a trespasser, a girl who claims she's a boy. This meeting will change both of their lives for the better. Oneshot


**Small Encounters**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the right to Ranma One Half.

**By: Redfeathersky**

She shivered. Breath was difficult to conjure as her chest convulsed and shuddered. Sweat dripped upon the sheets. It fell from rivulets of moisture that matted her long black strands of hair to her head. Ivory callused yet delicate fingers clenched the mustard colored sheets. Perspiration caused a white t-shirt to cling to her shapely form.

"That dream…" She sobbed gasping out sound into the still air, "Why…?" She asked.

Her voice croaked from exhaustion.

She'd been crying while she slept again. Chocolate colored eyes narrowed and burned as anger swept away the painful sorrow that constricted her lungs. Short nails dug into the yellow fabric of her sheets once again rendering another blanket useless. Her wrists flew apart and the sheet ripped clean down the middle. Her short feet swung over the side of her bed revealing yellow pajama pants that clung to her sweaty skin.

She marched across her room nearly running as she swung her door open. She brusquely walked down the stairs and through a wood floored hallway bypassing the silent living room and the dark kitchen to her left. Opening the door at the end of the hallway she marched across the dew-covered stones that made a pathway to a silent building with paper doors. She pushed the doors to the large empty building open and bowed to a shrine placed in the far left corner before entering.

A small delicate foot touched the wooden floor of the one-roomed complex and her angry muscles relaxed upon contact with the smooth ancient wood. This was her place. It was a safe place. It was a place for understanding, learning. A sanctuary.

Her body moved fluidly through the art she'd known since she was a child. Her movements were abrupt, powerful thrusts and kicks that pushed the air into sharp pulses that brushed against the wooden and paper walls leaving a breath of anger in their wake. In her mind she was attacking the man that had been conjured in her dream. His dark eyes laughed at her attempts at defeating him. His pungent musky smell sunk into her nostrils until she felt suffocated. Her clenched eyes closed tighter as she concentrated on her movements.

His sweaty, clammy hands squeezed and pulled at her body invading every part of her that was sacred. She felt twelve again and shook slightly as the imagined hands roamed down to her pants. Her movements slowed as fear began to set into her limbs. She screamed in anger and determination pushing her limbs through the terror. She was moving faster. Her punches became more powerful, her feet became deadly weapons.

The image of the man shattered under the onslaught of her kata. She stopped moving. Sweat poured from her limbs to drip silently on the floor. Her shaky legs buckled beneath her and she collapsed to her knees. Her eyes and face were blank as she envisioned the monster in her mind's death. He held no power over her. She destroyed him…_he held no power over her…_

Movement near the door, the whispering sound of fabric invaded her blank thoughts. She jumped up flying across the room with surprising speed. Her left hand clapped onto the wooden frame of the door even as the small fingers of her right hand closed around the red collar of a Chinese shirt. She threw the eavesdropper into the middle of the dojo and jumped to attack.

"Wait!" A feminine cry stopped the sweaty young woman's fists inches from the Chinese shirt wearing eavesdropper's tanned throat, "I'm sorry—I didn't mean—I'm sorry."

Large blue eyes watched angry brown eyes nervously; red hair fell into a face roughened by the elements. The red shirt that the young woman had grabbed was soaked from the rain that now seemed to be pummeling the ground outside. She laid lopsided on the floor of the dojo her back hindered by a large brown traveling pack.

Brown Eyes sighed, and relaxed away from the red head. She stepped away and looked out at the rain without expression.

"Look," The red head spoke, "I'm sorry I was spying on you," She sat up carefully wincing as she moved, "It started raining and I was lookin' for shelter when I heard you scream. I just wanted to make sure there was nothing wrong."

The brown eyed woman didn't look at her as she sat down brining her knees up to her chest and wrapping her toned arms around her knees, "So why did you stay?" She asked quietly, "Obviously there's no one in trouble needing saved."

"I guess I saw you practicin''an well," A short but callused hand reached up to rub the back of her red hair and a slight blush lit her features, "You're good. I couldn't help notice how well you were using you're kata. I just couldn't—well, I couldn't look away."

Long sweaty blue hair shifted against an equally wet back as Brown eyes moved her head slightly to look at the red head out of the corner of her right eye. The rain pattered behind her and her white shirt was made almost pink by how tightly it clung to her pale skin. A few thin scars became visible as lightning far off lit the sky temporarily.

"You practice martial arts?" The question was as dead as her expression but her right eye lit only a fraction of the fire the red head had seen when she'd watched the tired young woman perform her martial dance.

"Yeah," The small red head smiled, "Been training ever since I could walk. I've been dragged allover Japan and even most parts in china for it." She frowned, "It's why I look as I do actually…"

"Soaking wet?" Ha, sarcasm, so the girl was human after all.

Red grinned her lips jumping up in a roughish lopsided smirk, "Yeah, sure." She laughed, "Soaking wet."

"Hmm," Brown eyes turned her head but not before Red's eyes noticed the small smile that flitted across her lips.

Red's grin grew when she realized she'd caused that smile. She crawled over to sit next to the strange girl that had been a raging fire moments before and now a cold dead slate. She'd never been one to deal with curiosity well.

"So who were you fightin'?" She asked innocently.

"What?" Asked the girl whipping her head around to glance at the red head in surprise, "Who said I was fighting anybody?" She asked narrowing her eyes.

Red held up her hands in a surrender position with her palms facing outward, "I meant no offense it's just," She dropped her hands to her lap and fiddled with the hem of her red shirt, "I only practice that intensely when I have an opponent in my mind that I need to fight off…I guess I just thought it might be the same way with you."

She didn't answer at first, deciding to watch the rain for a few moments instead. Her dark eyes were so distant that Red doubted it was the rain that she was looking at.

"A man," Came the silent reply, "An evil man that no matter how hard I fight him…he still seems to hold some power over me."

"How does he hold power over you with moves like your's?" Red asked.

A sad smile and blue eyes met watery chocolate as the dark haired girl turned her head fully to look at her, "When I met him last…I didn't have these moves…and the ones I did have were not good enough to stop him."

Red fidgeted uncomfortably feeling as though a black shadow laced the words of the young fighter next to her. It was the type of shadow that was avoided in polite conversation and ignored or dismissed when talked about openly. A morbid curiosity fell over her and she sat still watching the haunted girl beside her. She knew the meaning somewhere in those words…it lurked like a nightmare at the edge of her thoughts and a hungry anger sat barely checked to the edge of her consciousness waiting to be released.

"Stop him from what?" Red asked quietly.

"From raping me," The dark haired girls face ceased its soft sorrowful edge becoming dead again as she spoke the truth without emotion.

"What!" The small red head jumped to her feet angrily her blue eyes pumping with fire and a strong power leaping up around her like a cold blast of wind, "How dare he? No man, no creature on this planet has the right! Tell me where the bastard is! I'll kill him! I'll rip his testicles from his disgusting dirty groin! I'll--!"

A pale soft hand touched the hem of her pants stopping the fiery red head in mid rant, "Stop." A cold voice issued from pale lips as dark hair fell into a heart-shaped face, "Don't you dare go on some righteous crusade when you have no idea what it is I've been through. Don't." Her dark eyes held the fire and conviction that had pushed her kata to its limit moments before, "I told you there was no one here that needed saving and I was right. I don't need saving from anyone. If I were to gain something from revenge I would have hunted down the bastard myself years ago! I don't need a perfect stranger to run around killing the first man she sees in my name!"

"I wouldn't do it in you're name I'd do it for men everywhere." She stated stubbornly, "As a man I can't let a lowlife like that live! The creature that hurt you has no right to be called a man! Men protect women! We respect women and treat them with honor--! What?" She asked angrily because the brown eyed girl was laughing quietly.

"You just called yourself a man." She stated smiling in amusement.

"But I _am_ a man!" She said angrily crossing her arms in front of her rather un-manly chest.

"Right," Brown eyes smiled, "And I suppose those are man-boobs."

"Huh?" Red looked down at he breasts as though she just remembered they were there.

She blushed and then sighed and fell to sit on her haunches next to the haunted girl her arms resting on her knees and a cute pout adorning her face.

"I forgot they were there," She stated honestly causing the sad young woman to laugh again.

"How could you forget that you have boobs?" She asked amused.

"I don't always have—them…" Red stated scrunching up her nose at the topic of their conversation.

A pair of dark eyebrows shot up incredulously at the red head admonishment, "Uh-huh."

"I don't!" The red head defended, "Jeeze it's just a curse ok? I'm really a guy!"

"But you can't be a guy," Brown eyes argued, "Besides the obvious—I wouldn't like you if you were."

Red blushed and frowned at the same time, "Well then sorry to disappoint but I stand by my earlier statement. I'm a guy. Always have been and I always will be…despite my current appearance." She turned her head her nose was lifted into the air in stubbornness.

Brown eyes laughed again, "Alright." She chuckled smiling slightly, "Whatever you say."

The two fell into silence again watching the rain as it pattered away in front of them. Both young girls' thoughts were miles away from each other as they sat quietly next to each other. Calm circled the quiet dojo and wrapped around the young women. The cloudy night sky gave them a show as lightning danced across the underbelly of the clouds never touching the ground. It was a silent display of power, of seething emotion hanging in balance waiting for the crackling release of thunder.

Red leaned back to rest her weight on her palms her short legs spread out in front of her while Brown eyes sat still in her closed position with her knees against her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs.

"Hey?" Brown eyes asked quietly shaking the silence to the edges of the dojo, "Thanks."

"For what?" Red asked confused.

"For making me laugh," Pale lips quirked upwards in a soft, sad smile, "I haven't felt this peaceful in…well," She sighed, "It's been a while."

"Even though I technically trespassed and then spied on you?" Red asked carefully.

"Actually," Brown eyes smiled, "Thank you for that too. If you hadn't…I wouldn't be here with you right now feeling as though a small weight has lifted from me…even though we're complete strangers and I don't even know you're name—."

"It's Ranma," Red interrupted, "My names Ranma."

Brown eyes smiled, "Even though I don't know you Ranma, thank you for 'spying' on me."

"Ha!" Ranma grinned, "No one has ever thanked me for trespassing before—not that I do it often mind you…" She fidgeted and looked away from the giggling brown eyed girl, "So uh—what's you're name then?" She asked, "I figure I just gave you mine so you might as well give me yours."

"It's Akane," Brown eyes smiled, "Akane Tendo. You are trespassing upon the Tendo family dojo."

"Huh," Ranma stated, "Figures I'd find my way to an independent family school by accident. So what school do you guys teach here?"

"Anything goes style martial arts." Akane stated.

"No way," Ranma grinned, "That's what I've been studying my whole life. I thought my family was the only one who practiced it! I've been named my father's future heir to the school."

"Really?" Akane asked surprised, "I thought my family was the only one who practiced it too! My father named me heir…" Her eyes grew sad again and the emotionless mask that Ranma was getting used to seeing slipped over her delicate face, "Or at least I _was_ the heir until I was--."

"Why?" Ranma asked.

"Because for a while there, every man I came across…I tried to kill." Akane stated emotionlessly, "I can't teach a martial art if I am going to try to kill most of the students that come to learn from me."

Ranma sighed, "I'm glad I'm not a guy right now then." She stated, "I don't think you would have stopped that punch earlier if I had been a guy at the time."

"So you're admitting you are a girl?" Akane asked.

"I'm not a girl." Ranma deadpanned, "Like I told you, I'm a guy. I just happen to have a stupid female body at the moment."

Akane laughed and although Ranma felt slightly peeved for the slight aimed at her gender she was secretly pleased she could make Akane smile.

"You know," Ranma stated, "A smile suits you."

"Thank you," Akane smiled, "But it's not necessary to be nice just for politeness sake."

"I'm not." Ranma frowned, "I mean it. I like it when you smile."

"Just like you mean you're a boy?" Akane asked innocently.

Ranma's mouth dropped open in protest before she snapped it shut again and looked away crossing her arms, "If I didn't think you'd kill me I'd show you what I mean."

Akane chuckled quietly her eyes watching Ranma as the small red head pouted.

"So how did you come to be outside my home Ranma?" Akane asked.

"I'm running from my old man." She stated losing the pout immediately in light of the question, "The idiot wants me to go marry some girl I've never met before." She leaned back lying on the dojo floor with a huff her arms crossed behind her head, "I'm only sixteen! I don't have time for no fiancé! I've gotta get back to china so that I can get rid of my curse!" Ranma rolled her head to the left to look at Akane who had her jaw open in surprise and her body turned toward Ranma.

"Wait--." Akane stated, "You're father thinks you're a boy too? No wonder you're so adamant you're a boy! I can't believe he'd be so delusional to try to marry you off to another girl!"

"Hey!" Ranma leaned up against her elbows, "He ain't delusional about that! Didn't I tell you it's the curse?"

"You've mentioned it." Akane rolled her eyes sarcastically, "And you say you have to go to china to break this curse? What does you're mom say about this?"

"She agrees with me." Ranma stated, "But she won't tell my dad 'cuz she's married to him and isn't supposed to take sides so she keeps her mouth shut about it." Ranma pouted.

"Well I can't agree with any man…but let's say for a moment you _are_ actually male, which I highly doubt," She made a pointed glance at Ranma's chest, "Would running away be a," She winced, "_Manly_ thing to do?"

"No," Ranma sighed, "It'd be a weak thing to do."

"If I can learn to fight my demons…" Akane began.

"Yeah, yeah…I get it." Ranma stated sighing again, "But it's still raining."

"Tell you what," Akane stated, "You can stay here for the night."

"What?" Ranma asked surprised, "But I'm a complete stranger _and _I'm trespassing."

"Well then maybe you don't have to be a stranger anymore." Akane said quietly, "Maybe you could be a friend."

"You don't want me for a friend." Ranma stated sadly, "I'm a boy."

Akane smiled slightly still not quite believing him, "You make me smile. That isn't an easy feat. Besides it's really late and I can't turn you back out to the rain on good conscious. We have towels and an extra futon in the guest room."

"Well I guess it'd be ok if you or you're family doesn't mind." Ranma stated nervously, "I'll probably be gone tomorrow morning anyways."

"All right," Akane smiled, "It's settled then."

She stood and walked toward the rain.

"Wait," Ranma stated quietly, "Akane?"

"Hmm?" Akane asked turning her sad eyes toward Ranma.

"Not all guys are like Him…you know." She stated quietly, "I just wanted to make sure you knew that…"

Akane seemed to struggle with Ranma's words for a moment before a sad smile made its way across her face. Ranma's heart seemed to squeeze tightly in his chest seeing such a smile and his breath caught at seeing something so morbidly beautiful.

"I know Ranma," Akane said quietly, "Perhaps if I had an example of a good man I'd really know it, you know?"

"Yeah but Akane--." Ranma began.

Akane shook her head, "We need to worry about getting through this rain first ok?" She turned from Ranma and jumped out into the downpour.

Ranma frowned but followed quickly surprised when she stopped in the middle of the yard on her way to the house. Ranma stopped too. The short red head could only stare in wonder at the young woman before her as she stood breathing slowly her head tilted back to allow the water to hit her face and push her long dark tresses away from her skin. Her eyes were open allowing the cleansing heavens into her irises without even flinching. Her arms were limp at her curved sides and a serene expression lived upon the contours of her heart-shaped skull.

Ranma felt that if it weren't raining she'd be crying. The short red haired girl stood there feeling as though if she were to touch Akane in that instant she'd be breaking something sacred.

The broken girl turned to look at Ranma and a soft smile played upon her lips as she regarded the shorter girl, "You know?" She asked quietly.

Ranma felt as though her voice had turned to music upon the sound of dancing rain.

"This is the first time I've felt like water could clean me." She stated honestly, "The rain makes me feel…human."

Ranma didn't answer Akane. She didn't feel she could. So the buxom red headed girl tilted her head back and closed her eyes willing to feel for the element that had brought her nothing but grief for the past ten months. Akane had stirred something within her that Ranma didn't understand but was willing to embrace.

Her eyes opened slowly. Her breathing was calm as she looked up at the white ceiling of her bed room. Her yellow sheets were neatly tucked around her and her long strands of black hair were spread across her pillow like a soft dark-blue halo. She sat up slowly her dainty feet slipping over the side of the bed gracefully with her yellow pajama clad legs following suit.

She stood slowly pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ears as she walked serenely towards the door. Her fingers wrapped around the polished handle and opened the wooden door with a slight creek. She walked calmly toward the guest room situated right next door to her own room and smiled a little before pushing that door open too. She looked at the empty room in surprise and noticed a note placed upon the neatly folded futon in the left corner.

Akane smiled as she read the contents of the letter and squared her shoulders proudly. She startled her middle sister into wakefulness as she walked by her with that same smile on her face and walked downstairs feeling lighter, as though something had been lifted from her shoulders. Nothing was said to anyone as she walked out of the house and stood outside staring at the grassy lawn that was riddled with puddles from last nights rain.

She crossed the yard not caring if her bare feet touched the puddles reaching the gate with ease. She pulled the gate open and looked out at the street glancing left and then right. She leaned back against the gate crossing her arms in slight amusement as she regarded the waking morning.

"Good luck," Akane Tendo whispered wondering to whom she really meant.

She turned and walked back into the gate closing it shut behind her and never noticing the boy in a red Chinese shirt watching her with a soft smile on his face.


End file.
